Samsung‘s newly-launched Galaxy S23 phones support eSIM on Google Fi. The carrier is also offering the functionality on a host of other Samsung flagships, including the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S21, Galaxy S20, Galaxy Note20, Galaxy Z Flip 4, Galaxy Z Fold 4, and Galaxy Z Flip 3.
Google Fi debuted eSIM support with the Pixel 2 series back in 2017. At launch, the carrier only supported phones brought directly through it. Over the years, the Google-owner MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) has expanded its eSIM functionality. All Pixel phones launched since the Pixel 4 in 2019 support eSIM on Google Fi. Even a Pixel Watch on its network has the functionality.
But, away from the Pixel lineup, the support was limited to a few iPhones. No other Android phone supported eSIM on Google Fi until recently. Samsung’s Galaxy S22 series shipped with eSIM support out of the box on most carriers in the US last year, but not on Google Fi. The companies promised to enable the functionality with a software update later on. It appears one of the recent updates brought the support.
While there haven’t been any announcements from either company, an official support page for setting up and managing eSIM on Google Fi now mentions that the functionality is available on all of the aforementioned Samsung smartphones. This suggests that the Galaxy S23 series has the feature out of the box. The phones should also have eSIM support on other carriers.
To set up eSIM for your Google Fi number on a Galaxy S23, open the Google Fi app (download here) and sign in with the same Google Account. When prompted, tap Continue to activate Google Fi and you’re done. You can also transfer your number from another carrier to Google Fi through this app. Refer to this official support page for more information and instructions.
Android phones may soon allow eSIM transfer
Google is working on an important feature that will greatly improve the state of eSIM on Android. The company is preparing to allow you to transfer your eSIM between two Android phones. The feature is already available on iOS. But on Android, you currently need to deactivate eSIM on one device before you can activate it on the other. You can’t transfer the profile like on iPhones. This makes the process a bit complicated as you may be required to contact your carrier for activation. Hopefully, the feature will arrive soon.